


Glossaryck's Gambit

by SoulQueen



Series: Glossaryck's Gambit [1]
Category: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2020-12-28 05:30:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21131444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulQueen/pseuds/SoulQueen
Summary: Glossaryck's going through the timelines, seeing what he could have done differently, talking to Soupina. And he finds that maybe he didn't want to die with the magic, maybe he just didn't like what he knew was coming. So, he's taking a risk and making some changes. Starting with everyone's favorite, the Queen of Darkness.





	1. Soupina's Song

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my "The Last Butterfly" fic, I know, it's been a while. But I've been busy and I had other ideas.

Glossaryck had done what no one else cared to. He listened to the mad ramblings of Soupina the Strange and she told him, “You’ve seen all this and you know all this. Yet you’re willing to do nothing to stop it? Glossy that doesn’t seem right.” She stirred a pot of their favorite metaphor soup with her wand, a golden ladle. Its charger was a soul stone and the crystal a salt rock. And she was right, of course, it wasn’t right. Celena had chastised him as such. Oh, but he shouldn’t bring the future into the past. Soupina’s strangeness was partly his fault after all. And maybe Glossaryck didn’t want to die with the magic but he knew he didn’t like the way the magic would be used. He didn’t like the Mewmans and their joy in the queens that were duds because they knew not to change a thing. He knew he’d regret his children and really, he already did. But they weren’t allowed to read the Book.

“Hey Soup, I need a favor—no, a prophecy.”

She gasped, a wide grin taking up half her face. “You’re gonna split them, aren’t you?”

He shrugged, “Yeah, it’s on my bucket list and you know, you’ve got to try everything once.” He snapped and the Book of Spells fluttered open to her chapter, they were getting close to that burning date, she’d have to write it twice.

She lifted her ladle, shook it free of soup, and twirled it into a pencil. “How should I say it, hm?”

“Surprise me, you’re the best at that.”

Sticking her tongue out to think, an act that always made her look like a pumpkin, though her cheek marks were onions, she gave the prophecy a good, solid minute to form before writing. She tore it out and folded it up into a tiny little square and dropped it into the crystal of the wand before writing it again so it could go on record. “I hope it has its desired effect.”

“I hope it has any affect.”

After Lyric and her image, after Skywynne and her growth, after Jushtin and his longing, Solaria and her warring, came little, curious Eclipsa who was all together too bright for Mewni’s sake, and thank goodness for that. He’d done it once and he could do it again, but this time—this time, he’d save them.

“You know, you really ought to stop stealing your mother’s wand. She needs it,” he said dryly, watching her dance across the room with a purple parasol.

“It’s fine, she’s not knighting anyone today and it’s not like she’s needed on the front lines now. Besides, I want to get some practice in before my birthday.” She smiled, holding the parasol up so she levitated without having to open it. One twirl left, one right, left foot back on the toes, right index finger on the whisperstone, at its voice the Saturnstone glowed. “Wake, my children, rise and wander. I’ve moved you now so you may ponder. And while you’re at it, please do mind, to row yourselves and get in line. Soldiers, now, to your stations, it’s time to make a grand declaration.”

She rose the parasol up in triumph, her whole body glowing with the wand as her books shuffled across the room, her dolls danced to their shelves, the top of the trunk, and two little royals helped each other up to her bed. Her dresses lined themselves up in her armoire, her stocking rolling themselves and shutting in the drawers. It was certainly an entertaining cleaning spell, but she had a faster one. Like so many before her, she twirled the wand to change its shape, a broom, like Lyric’s, as she descended to sweep the tower’s floor.

“What type of queen do you think I’ll be like, hm?”

_Hated and feared_, he thought. “Surprising.”

She snorted, “Surprising, that’s a new one. You’ve been looking into the future again?”

He shrugged.

“Will I be happy?”

“I’m pretty sure you have to forsake happiness to be in charge of things, especially _Mewni_.”

“Yeah, you’re right. But I’m still going to try.” She shook the broom back into a parasol, sitting on her trunk. “I’m going to continue my guidebook to you-know-what, fall in love, make up a bunch of fun, nonsense rules, and give Mewni something to remember.”

“And what’s that?”

“Peace. I can be happy, if they’re happy, and they’ll be happy if they—mm,” she pressed her index to her lip, musing, “_adapt_, to the times. To me.”

“Hm, yes. Hey, how about an early birthday present?”

She perked up, “Is it chocolate.”

“Nope, I still need something to give you for your birthday.”

“A cake made of snookers. None of you have ever thought to give me one yet and quite frankly I’m appalled.” She gave him a playful smile, her hands on her hips like she was annoyed.

“I’ll keep that in mind. But the gift is closer than you might think. We’ve got to go into the wand to get it.”

“What?”

“And we can’t say anything about this to your mother.”

“Oh, absolutely. But, how long will this take? I don’t want her coming in here and finding it.”

“Good point, hadn’t thought of that. What about—,” he was going to say the Rose Dimension, but she hadn’t found it yet. “Maybe it’s too early.”

“No-no. How about you tell me what it is and I can go looking for it at night while the dolls keep an eye out for Mommy, hm?” Her hands were clasped together and she pouted her lips like that had ever worked on him, who was he—Jushtin?

“It’s a prophecy, from Soupina.”

She laughed, “Oh, good one Glossy, but what is it, really?”

“Exactly that, a page torn from the original Book of Spells to assure that it wouldn’t be lost in the fire.”

“And you didn’t want to give it to Grandma?”

“I was _dead_.”

“You’re _never_ dead.”

They glared at each and then burst into laughter, doubling over and leaning back respectively.

He wiped tears from his eyes. “You’re an awful kid, you know that? You’re not even a little curious about what it has to say?”

She shook her head. “I don’t like prophecies. I’m in control my path and nothing will change that.” She sat with one leg over the other, kicking the top one idly. “I’m going to do what’s best for me.”

_I know but_—he sighed; he wasn’t going to say it. _It’s too early._

“Let’s have a treat. I want pudding.”

All too glad to agree, she raised the parasol and conjured snookers with the Saturnstone and pudding with the whisperstone.

On the day of her fourteenth birthday, she had the nerve to look surprised at her wand. But she always did, in every timeline. Because they’d always gotten to this _point_. He’d have to find the right time.

Solaria’s death was not the right time. Solaria’s death was never the right time.

Shastacan, that rotten fool. Not on their wedding day. Not yet.

Her Crystallization—no, that was too late.

How about—yes, that might work.

“What’s wrong, Clips?”

She started, whipping her head around with a fierce glare and a shout on her lips, and then her shoulders sagged in relief when she realized it was just him.

She sniffled, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. “Nothing, Glossy. Just a little sick is all. I’m pretty sure someone’s trying to poison me.” She shrugged, “Comes with the job, I suppose.”

“I suppose. But it’s not that. Or at least, I hope not.”

“What do you mean?”

“How long has this,” he gestured to her chamber pot and the half-finished meal on her desk, “been happening?”

She rubbed her arm, embarrassed that she couldn’t remember exactly, “Two, maybe three months.”

“And your doctor says?”

“She thinks I’m being poisoned too and I think she’s the one doing it.” She looked away; a dark look reminiscent of Solaria crossing her face.

“Relax, relax, now is not the time to get worked up. I’ve got good news.”

“And bad news,” she finished dryly.

“The good is a preamble to the bad.”

She groaned, leaning against her bed. “Alright, I’m ready.”

“You’re pregnant.”

“Oh shit. Wait… oh _fuck_.”

“_See_, you can guess the bad.”

She twisted her skirt in her hands, tears welling in her eyes. “It’s never easy, is it,” she asked quietly.

“I’m afraid not.”

They heard shifting feet outside her door and she snapped, grabbing the wand and using Skywynne’s freeze spell from memory. She huffed and sat back down, hugging her knees. “Can’t a queen cry in peace?”

“Hey, how ‘bout that birthday gift?”

“You missed my birthday.”

“Fine, late birthday gift. Ready to go into the wand.”

Her face scrunched up in a frown, mouth in a lowercase o, “Oh, _that_ birthday gift. Why now?”

“Because you need to know what’s coming next. Please, Eclipsa, it’s important.” He wasn’t above pleading if he needed to.

“Alright,” she nodded, “alright.”

And in a second they were there, in the wand’s memory of her room. “No, it’s not going to be here.” He snapped his fingers and they were one level lower, in the Castle of Spells. “We’ve got to find Soupina’s room and Clips,” she tore her attention away from the many emblemed doors back to him. “Don’t lose me in here, you’ll be overwritten. Pay very close attention to the sound of my voice, understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good,” he floated over to sit on her head, “let’s find Soupina’s room.”

It was weird for him, seeing all these old emblems again, he hadn’t lived in the wand for quite some time. The burning hadn’t affected it, lucky for him Lyric rode that broom everywhere. And, well, the wand was indestructible when fully charged. _Maybe I’ll move back. Maybe._ Soupina’s room wasn’t far after Lyric’s, especially since Rhina hadn’t—or, _wouldn’t_ come around this time.

“There, the blue onions.”

“I always thought they were weird tears. Wait, what’s an onion?”

“Don’t worry about it. Open the door.”

“Knock, knock,” she said, knocking. “Great, great, too many greats, grandmother Soupina.”

“Her ghost isn’t in here you know.”

“I do now.” She pushed down the handle and the door clicked open. “Hello, are any spells in.”

They could hear the whispering. No queen, nor princess, had ever set foot in that part of the wand.

“I’m here for the prophecy.”

The whispering rose to an uproar as the spells, hiding in the dark, pushed a small square of paper, still white, out towards her. Glossaryck flew over to get it, she still wouldn’t enter the room.

“Thank you. Have a happy eternity.” She shut the door on them, she hadn’t expected Soupina’s spells to be so shy. “Can we go back and see my room?”

“Some other time. Hold this.” She took it and he opened his eyelids wide. “Get into my eye—yes, I know it’s strange but it’s how we get back.”

Being covered in gross eyeball juice did not help with the morning sickness, neither did Glossaryck’s obliviousness to his hanging eye.

“For Stump’s sake, Glossy, how can you not feel that?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know. I don’t feel a lot of things.” He whistled for his silkworms, they crawled out from his shirt, happy to have more running room. He pointed to where Eclipsa had dropped the page so it wouldn’t get vomited on. They scuttled over, unfolding it, and she managed a glance, and then another to take it all in. In true Mewni fashion, it wasn’t just a prophecy, it was a song.

To You, Who Shadows the Sun

_A queen must know her worth,_

_upon her babe’s birth_

_the Festive shall go mad_

_and all we know of bad_

_shall be shown in good,_

_while the council counts their luck_

_and sees what they should._

_You, who shadows the sun,_

_You can’t hide, you can’t run_

_So, don’t let them forget_

_who made the table they set._

It sounded like a threat, but they could never tell with Soupina. Eclipsa read it again, before the silkworms began their work of making a new book. She pressed a hand to her stomach, “This one?”

“Who’s to say.”

“Who’s the Festive?”

“Well, Festivia actually.”

“I don’t love it.”

“She’s not yours, not by birth.” Time was still frozen, so he told her everything.

“A Pie girl,” she exclaimed, “didn’t they think that would backfire on them? What were they going to do when people found out, what did they do when _she_ found out? Oh, the poor girl probably grew up hearing the worst stories about Pie Island.” She paced around the room, her mood as erratic as a wave.

“My question is, what are _you_ going to do?”

She stopped; her gaze fixed on the painting of Alphonse but she was wasn’t really seeing it. Her fists trembled at her sides. “Mewni needs a queen and I am no tyrant. I’ll give them a chance, I’ll make it work,” she said softly. “But first,” she looked at her hands, the black veins had long since given way to dark purple stains, like she’d dipped them in wine and waited three days. She had no clue what it would do to her _without_ the wand in the way. “I know I’m queen now, Glossy, but I still ought to know how to Dip Down.”

He nodded, “Yes, I’ve been wondering about that myself. Let’s unfreeze time first, they can’t make the old book back without time.”

She chuckled, patting her pockets for her dimensional scissors, “Right, of course. Just a quick trip to Father Time’s.”

“Don’t start. I’m timeless and he still wears my patience.”

“I thought _you_ made him?”


	2. Globgor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a short one but it's necessary. Next chapter will either be a time skip or about the months up to Meteora's birth. Wish me luck.

Dealing with Father Time was much easier than what she was about to do next. She met Globgor in the dark of night beneath the Rose Tower. He was all dressed up for the occasion, he was even wearing shoes. He was surprised to see she carried nothing with her. He was surprised to see that she still had the wand seeing as last time they spoke she said she’d leave it with Mewni.

“My love,” she said and he could hear it in her voice that something was wrong.

“My darkest star, has something happened?” He reached out protectively for her, glancing around for danger.

She hugged him. “I have good news, great news actually, and not so good news.”

“I think I would like the not so good news first.”

Pulling back, she looked up at him, holding his gaze. “I’m not coming with you.”

His eyes and his heart, fell. “I see… what can bring me back from that?”

“We’re having a baby.”

“Really?”

She nodded, “Mhm. Not sure what they’ll look like but, I can’t wait to meet them. And that’s why we’ve got to do something very important.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “I am queen of Mewni and I will do my best to work towards the peace and betterment of my people and the monsters, rectifying past mistakes.”

He nodded along, they’d had this conversation before but she had that glint in her eyes, that conviction. “Ah, I see. And you need me to convince my people of the same. However, my love,” looking down at their hands, he traced his thumbs against her knuckles, “what of our child?”

“I am giving Mewni a chance to change. Of course, I won’t let them get rid of me for my decisions.”

He didn’t try to hide his worry, “You won’t go, overboard will you?”

“When have I ever?” Chuckling, she kissed his cheek. Her smile held for a few seconds longer before her expression hardened. “I will do my best and give them their chance otherwise I’m afraid our fates and that of our child, won’t turn out very good.”

He gasped, whispering, “You’ve seen the future?”

She shook her head, “No, but my ancestor has.” She sighed, heavy and tired, like she’d been doing since the funeral. When she looked up, her smile was back. “Let’s change the future, my love.”

Nodding, he kissed her forehead, knocking down her hat. They laughed, squeezing each other’s hands one last time.

“Please keep in touch,” he begged, not letting go.

“I will. I’ll send a spell if I’m in trouble.” She didn’t let go.

“Let me know what you name her. I’ll set up a baby room in the castle.” He still wasn’t letting go.

“I’ll make some dolls.”

“I can paint a dollhouse.”

They didn’t want to let go. But the guards were making their rounds.

“I love you,” they said.


	3. All Knowledge is Good Knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eclipsa sets her plans in motion, working towards Armistice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Life was getting busy. But I've figured out where I'm going to go with this story so, I'll keep at it.

She thumbed through the first book of spells. The tome was the length of her arm, as thick as Glossaryck was tall. It stopped at Soupina’s chapter, so she couldn’t learn about her great-grandmother Lyric. “It’s only a few chapters missing,” Glossaryck said, “And to be honest there wasn’t much in those.” She made a noncommittal “Hmm,” sound as she scanned the pages, holding the bottom corner between thumb and forefinger.

“Really, Lyric wrote about ten spells tops. Everything else was her gushing about dresses and her husband and cooing over Skywynne.”

“Yes, but I still want to read it. They’re my family, my ancestors. I want to know what they were like, how they dealt with everything. Besides, everyone’s wand designs are so pretty, I want to trace back my sense of style.”

“I thought you got that from being raised by Jushtin?”

“Fair point, but still. I want to know.”

He sighed. “You were always the curious one. But I’m afraid you’ll have to rely on secondhand accounts for those.”

“From the remains of a burned down library?”

He shrugged.

“Very well.”

She hid the first book but, before she left, she thought of a wrinkle in her plan, someone who had read her chapter already. She cast a spell on the first Book and then:

“I summon the all-seeing eye, to tear a hole into the sky, reveal to me that which is hidden, unveil to me what is forbidden.”

And there he was, that disgusting little Spider Bite. He’d need to go. She did have a very effective disappearing spell, something to make him unfindable, like he just wander off one day.

“What if you get blamed, or worse, what if the monsters get blamed?”

She frowned, biting her lip.

They were having dinner, buttered corn and baked pheasant.

“Shastacan, Darling, I’ve been thinking—”

“A deadly thing for sure.”

She tried not to roll her eyes. “Why don’t you take a little trip? A king needs an adventure and since I can’t leave Mewni alone, you ought to for both of us.”

He narrowed his eyes, watching her with well earned suspicion, if she was being honest. “Why?”

“Well, wouldn’t you like to do something great for Mewni. You’d surely go down in history.”

He perked up at that. “Great like what?”

“Like…oh, I don’t know, bring back a new vegetable. My father mentioned many other vegetables he was sure the Mewmans would like, but you know how stubborn we are. Surely, you could convince them though.”

“Mentioned them where?”

“You haven’t read it?” _Figures._ “Alphonse the Worthy’s Atlas of the Multiverse, it was a top seller.”

“Oh, right _that_. I’ve read it cover to cover.”

“So, you think you can do it?” She leaned back, smiling, if not a little smug.

“I don’t think, I _know_.” He tore off a chunk of meat with his teeth.

“Alright, I’ll ready your travel arrangements.”

“Very good. I’m sure it will be a piece of cake.”

She ate her salmon.

Shastacan was gone on his voyage by the 53rd of Gravnogk. She and Glossaryck saw him off in front of Butterfly Castle.

“What now,” asked Glossaryck after she told her doctor the good news.

“Now, I have a meeting with the Commission at three and afterwards I have to see who else is going to give me a hard time. I know ending a war quickly, especially one that has gone on as long as I’ve been alive, will be hard. Harder still considering the zealots my mother made.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I’ll have to draft a peace treaty. Seth of Septarsis doesn’t seem like someone who’d be easy to win over though.”

He thought of Comet’s attempts at peace. _But that was Toffee, if all goes well, he won’t rise in the ranks._ “Why don’t we start with returning some lost land?”

“And finding some new, unclaimed land for Mewni’s crops. I have been thinking about that, yes.”

“Let’s get to drafting.”

“Eclipsa, you’re here early,” said Hekapoo when they entered the meeting room.

“Mhm,” she said, not looking up from her draft. “I’ve got something for you all to read over.”

They waited, watching her curiously. She’d never been this invested in Commission meetings before.

“Sit,” she said gently, sending copies of her Peace Treaty to them.

Hekapoo read the fastest. “What is this? We can’t just give back the land we rightfully stole! What about Mewni?”

“Wait what, we’re giving back land,” said Rhombulus, trying to catch up.

“Seems fair,” said Reynaldo, Lekmet baaing in agreement.

Omnitraxus coughed, “And what brought this on?”

Leaned forward, she rested her chin on a bridge of her entwined, gloved fingers, elbows propping her up on the table. “I want peace. I am altogether sick of war and Mewni is no better for it. I understand what my grandmother was trying to do, I believe she could have done better. I appreciate my mother’s…_intent_, but it came at a great cost. I will not have my people suffer further for something that altogether could have been avoided.”

“Oh sure, you say that with hindsight,” said Hekapoo.

“You ought to learn from past mistakes, they don’t necessarily have to be yours.” She gave her a chilling smile.

Hekapoo glared at her, fighting against the shiver. “What will the other kingdoms think?”

“They’ll think whatever they want, Mewni has cemented itself as above them anyways.”

Omnitraxus looked between them and cleared his throat again. “Well, Your Majesty, it sounds nice in theory, but; how are we going to do this?”

“That’s what we’re here to work on,” said Glossaryck, floating beside Eclipsa. With a snap of his finger, a map rolled out. Monster territory were marked by carved wooden figures of each species of monster, even Conjoinicans, despite their being demons.

“If this armistice is going to happen, we’ll have to figure out an easy way to compensate without giving up all of Mewni,” said Eclipsa. She pointed with her wand, “Now this space here between the Jaggy Mountains and the Forest of Uncertain Death belongs to the Avariuses, but here, outside the Forest of Certain Death, is the Monster Temple. Currently empty but I do intend to return it. Then there is the unoccupied land between the Lookout and the Forest of Probable Itchiness—”

“Personally, I don’t think we have enough land,” said Rhombulus.

“I would like to raze the Forest of Probable Itchiness, give it to the monsters while the Mewmans that need to be relocated take up residence in the unoccupied lands beside it.”

“I don’t know what the monsters are complaining about anyways, our cornfields don’t take up that much space,” said Hekapoo, arms crossed.

“I’d like to use whatever land is left to incorporate more food to Mewni’s diet. Uncle Jushtin found this new type of squash called pumpkin? But I’m getting ahead of myself, we’ll have to send out envoys to scout the areas, I trust I can count on your help with that Hekapoo?”

“Fine, but I still think this is a bad idea.”

“Good to know.”

Omnitraxus nodded, “I will help as well, though, I do not think the monsters will be so willing. Especially not—”

“I know,” she said. The Septarians were said to have organized the ambush that killed Queen Solaria. “Well, I’ll work on selecting my scouts and envoys, and send word to the armies. That’s all I had for today—” she sat back, “thank you.”

They filed out, Lekmet eating the rough draft of the treaty. She didn’t need her spying spell to hear Hekapoo and Rhombulus’ dissent to her plans. Omnitraxus did not want to discourage this change in her, good, she could use that. She wrote a letter to her uncle.

Dearest Uncle,

You’ve always been like a father to me. I will need your help in the days to come. You had great plans for Mewni, as do I, one of them involves armistice. Yes, I know it is a drastic change so soon after Mother’s death with the war still going on, which is exactly why it is armistice and not reparations. I need your help in swaying Mewni’s allies to my cause. I have it on good authority that the slime from the Slimes is a wonderful salve for spider bites. Could you try and negotiate an understanding between them to get those forces out of the war. I shall send help, as soon as I figure out which Slime (as they are all named such) I have contact for. They are very nice.

Gratefully Yours,

Eclipsa

“Like it,” she asked Glossaryck.

He shrugged, making a noncommittal humming noise.

“Okay,” she cast a spell to give the letter wings and sent it zipping across Mewni to the Forest of Unlikely Spider Bites.

On the way home, to make a good impression, she stopped at the orphanage. _A pair of little feet running or—crawling around the castle won’t be so bad. Maybe two pairs if that little Pie Girl is doomed to be lost at the festival._ She gave the kids candy and told them jokes. People of course noticed she was there and so she made a statement for the paper.

“Queen Eclipsa Expecting and King Shastacan Away” was one of the more notable headlines.

“A Royal Baby in the Wings! Queen Visits Orphanage.”

The next day, mentally practicing what she’d say to Globgor during their next meeting, she helped the orphans plant a garden in a corner of their backyard. Glossaryck gave her the seeds, squash, onion bulbs, carrots, and baby corn. Many of them were like her, orphaned by the war. _Sixteen is such a young age to lose a mother, but what would come of the War if she hadn’t died when she did?_ She hated to think of it, it was cruel to but necessary and sometimes she thought she had to and she always did what she thought she had to. A child tugging on her skirt pulled her from such thoughts though.

“Your Majesty, your Majesty, are you gonna visit us every day?”

“Of course, sweetie. Why? Don’t want me too?”

“No, I mean yes, I mean…Are you gonna take us on a trip to the castle?”

“Maybe. Perhaps when it’s safe.”

“Because the mean monsters are still attacking?”

“Something like that, yes.”

“Next time you come can you bring toy swords, I want to be a warrior too,” cried another child.

“I’ll see what I can do. But children shouldn’t fight, grown-ups do enough of that to last everyone a whole lot of lifetimes.”

“How many,” asked the first girl.

“About ten or twenty.”

She nodded sagely.

“Remind me what your name is, dear?”

“Dolores Lumiere, daughter to Sir Dorothy Lumiere. But you can call me Dolly, since you’re my friend.”

“Really? Oh, thank you. You can call me Auntie instead of Your Majesty.”

“Okay! I’m gonna go play. By Auntie.”

“Goodbye, Dolly.”

“Alright, Auntie, time to go,” said Glossaryck.

She huffed, grinning at him. “Have a lovely day everyone, see you tomorrow.”

Rising, she bid the Director a good day and climbed into her waiting carriage.

“I’ve been thinking about the Armistice,” said Glossaryck, spinning slowly as he floated upside down.

“I would hope so.”

“And about your Dipping Down. I know the Septarians will be hard to deal with and your last relationship with one did not go so well.”

She scoffed, “That’s an understatement.”

“So, we can expect for some pushback from them. As long as you can win the other monster’s over you should be okay to just blast Seth away.”

“Okay, and?”

“And we start your Dipping Down training tomorrow.”

“Alright,” she yawned, “looking forward to it. Remind me to check how Shastacan is doing?”

“Very well.”


	4. The Monster at Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A worried Globgor visits his Darkest Star at midnight.

Globgor snuck into the Rose Tower, shaking her awake.

“What—what, I’m awake? Oh, it’s you Dear.” She gave him a soft, sleepy smile, lying back down contentedly. “Wait, when did you get here? We didn’t have a meeting tonight…right?”

“No, we didn’t. I just got so worried about you and the baby and what if someone found out somehow and then I saw the papers from Mewni and…”

“And you panicked and came here?”

He nodded.

“I wasn’t planning on keeping it a secret, especially since, you know, how can you hide a baby bump? But if you’re worried about the baby being born before we reach Armistice, I’ve got a plan.”

“Does any part of this plan involve our marriage?”

“That’s for the negotiations. By the way, how do you feel about razing the Forest of Probable Itchiness?”

“Why?”

“It’s in the name.” She sat up, keeping hold of his hand, “And remember how we were talking about how Mewni is built on monster land?”

“Yes,” he said cautiously.

“That land doesn’t belong to anyone right now, and I was hoping to move the displaced Mewmans into the open area across from the Lookout.”

“The Forest of Certain Death is getting rather crowded.”

She explained her plan so far.

“I like the part where I get my temple back, officially anyways. The Avariuses will be easy to win over. Conjoinicans betrayed the demons long ago, they might not be too happy with you for trying to reason with them.”

She winced, “Hmm. That’s something we’ll have to work out. I’m going to meet each royal family one-by-one. What else should I know?”

“You won’t win over the Septarians.”

“I figured as much,” she sighed.

“But,” he scratched the back of his head guiltily, “I think we can manage everyone else. What about your side?”

“Mewmans hate change, how my mother managed to rally them I’ll never remember. And it’s not like this divide doesn’t run deep. But they are more manageable than the Solarian Warriors, especially General Loveberry. I’ll have to figure out what to do with them.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry too much about them, they’re unstable,” said Glossaryck in his usual unsettling cheerful way, rising up from the book. “They’ll run themselves to death, at least that’s how it usually works out. Except for Mina, she’s so stubborn.”

“Mother did wish she would live forever,” she said in a clipped tone, ignoring Globgor’s little frown at Glossaryck. “I suppose I can try and undo the spell, no—wait, it’s permanent. Pity.”

“See, just another casualty of war.”

“You are very cheerful about this little man,” said Globgor.

“Don’t mind him. It’s honestly unsettling when he’s not cheerful,” she said with a chuckle.

He looked between queen and advisor, “I’m starting to put two and two together here.”

“Oh stop,” she swatted him playfully.

“Well, since you’re wide awake, and it’s tomorrow, how about we get to practicing?”

“I suppose.” She climbed out of bed, calling to mind previous accounts of dipping own, trying not go off on another excited tangent about how happy she was to have that information, and stood in the center of the room.

Glossaryck floated in front of her. “I’ve been thinking that the best way to help you would be to ask this: What fuels your magic Eclipsa?”

Her gaze fell to the purple marks creeping up her arms like lightening marks, as though her magic was the storm keeping the night sky hidden. At first, it had been the desire to help her mother, the worry for her. It had been why she made the All-Seeing Eye. And a lot of her earlier spells could be contributed to her being bred by war. But she loved the knowing, she had always sought to _know_. And if each era of her magic could be attributed to something than perhaps, like with the next phase of her reign, it would be to eclipse the reign of the sun. The marks on her arms stung, not enough to hurt though she was used to it. Perhaps she was numb.

What drove her magic? It couldn’t just be this, could it?

“Eclipsa?”

Everything she had done she had done because it was best for her and now—she wanted to do what she thought was best for her kingdom, because she had to admit, like all queens before her, that she didn’t know what was best. But she certainly knew this was not it. She wanted peace, she wanted to make sure that she and Globgor and Meteora could live together happily in peace. And she had no idea what peace was but she was willing to try.

“Love,” she said, meeting Glossaryck’s eyes. “Love and knowledge and worry and selfishness because there is no better word for it and change.”

He nodded. “No one can teach you how to be a queen. I say this because every reign is different and you end in a different kingdom than you started in, the world changes every day after all. And I’m not saying that justifies any of the actions of the past but it at least explains them. What we need to do is not let those actions define the present. As always, I can only give you the tools to grow, play your role. You’ve never followed the script and I appreciate that; however, you’re going to have to do this scene again.” He summoned an apple, fat, juicy and red and set it on her morning table. “Pass me this apple.”

She took a moment to snicker before composing herself with a deep breath and straightened spine.

Globgor left with a fond, tired smile. He loved his Darkest Star, loved every facet of her, even if her magic incited a deep terror in him from a lifetime of abuse by its hands. He knew her, he knew she was not her mother and unlike her known ancestors, where it counted. And he knew she was terrifying. He didn’t want to stay and be caught in whatever commotion her magic brought. He would just focus on leading his people to Armistice and figure out the rest as they moved along.


	5. The General

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina Loveberry storms into Eclipsa's office. But she's not the far gone veteran like she is in the show proper. So perhaps she can be reasoned with? Or bullied by duty.

It was a few weeks after the unscheduled meeting with Globgor, almost a decade [1]together and he was still such a romantic, and Mina burst into her solar while she was checking up on Shastacan, hoping he had finally gotten himself killed or lost beyond reason. She of course planned to send a search party to retrieve the servants with him and deliver the bad news to his family, she wasn’t heartless.

“Your Majesty,” she growled, the doors flying off their hinges. “What nonsense is this?” She waved around the notice of ceasefire.

“The nonsense is you bursting into my solar in that form and destroying my doors. You are not on the battlefield General, and I insist you meet me and the civilians _civilly_, understand.”

Grumbling under her breath she dropped her transformation while Eclipsa righted the doors with magic. Mina even bowed respectfully when she was done.

“My apologies, Your Majesty. I just think it is rash to give the monsters any chance of gaining ground on us, not even an inch.”

“And I can understand that from your perspective but can you understand it from mine?”

“Your Majesty?”

“My mother recruited you for this war when I was just an infant, barely one. It has been going on for far too long and I do not wish for it to go on longer. We have lost so much—”

“But we’ve gained so much as well. This is your mother’s legacy.”

She frowned, the loss still fresh, but just as quickly steeled herself. “And look what it has led to.”

“But don’t you want revenge?” she growled, slamming her fists onto the desk.

“The same can be said for them.” She met Mina’s fierce glare equally because she was not afraid of Mina Loveberry. Not the young general who had been there for as long as she could remember, always at her mother’s side. The general who had come from nothing and found hope and power in the crown’s war. The general who would pretend to be defeated by her when she first got her little wooden sword and would give her tips during spars, telling her stories about how hard it was for her when she first started her training too. The general whose war crimes she had witnessed firsthand. She sighed, “Mina, I do not want my reign to be filled with bloodshed and war, not even for another day. The feud between the Mewmans and the Monsters have been going on for longer than anyone can remember and I know I can’t be the end of it, but I at least want to be the one who walks with my people down that path. Understand?”

Twitching, full to bursting with rage, Mina Loveberry huffed, stepped back and shook her head. “No, my queen, I don’t. And I don’t believe my warriors will either.”

“But?”

“But our duty is to the crown, so sworn to Queen Solaria the Monster Carver, your mother, 28th [2]Matriarch of Mewni and the wand,” she recited begrudgingly. “And as long as we serve, no harm shall come to it.”

She nods, she had been there for that, though those memories were lost with age. “And it is not like the war will be completely over even with an Armistice. There are still reparations, and cleanups, and relocations and a whole mess of political stuff you need not worry about,” she straightened a stack of papers that needed reviewing. Letters from across the kingdom and other monarchs and, hopefully, a letter from Uncle Jushtin. “And, of course, the Septarians.”

“The worst of them all. Those immortal monsters,” spat Mina.

“Yes, they are the least likely to accept any of this. I’m still working out what to do about them. However, I shall keep you posted, you are my general after all and you know the battle best. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have court duties to attend to.”

She rolled her eyes, “Ugh, the boring stuff.” With a quick bow she left, probably flying out whatever window she came smashing through.

Eclipsa locked the study door and headed up the long halls towards the throne room. First, a quick Snookers stop. That’s when the assassins came for her.

A septarian she had never met, jumped from inside the potted plant, his partner sliding out from behind the drinks machine. They were rather standard septarians, well, the tall one with the mullet and the red spikes on his jacket was but the shirtless one seemed rather nervous. Didn’t hold that same contempt and air of superiority about him that most septarians she encountered had. Then again, she hadn’t spent that long in their dating pool and always regretted not experimenting enough.

“Your Majesty,” said the one with the mullet. She gave him the once over, he had a very nice sword that did not suit his outfit at all.

“Who are you supposed to be.”

“Toffee of Septarsis, soon to be general and your murderer. This is my assistant, Rasticore. Rasticore, introduce yourself.”

“Oh, um,” he bowed, “Your Majesty. We’ve come to avenge our fallen brethren.”

“How old are you two.”

“We’re Septarians, what does our age matter?”

“You look like teenagers. There’s no way Seth sent you.”

“Actually, he didn’t—”

“Rasticore,” Toffee hissed.

“I mean—what does it matter to you?”

Chuckling, she bent down to collect her snookers. “Pity, if I had met you a few years ago, and you seem rather nice too,” she mumbled.

“We’re here for your head,” Toffee snapped. “An Armistice, what kind of fool do you take us for, every attempt at treaty or peace from yours has always been a trap.”

Her expression darkened, “Hm…Yes, I’m well aware. I have been alive for quite a large part of my mother’s reign. Oh, unless you’re talking of queens before her. No one left alive knows what they meant to do.” She took a bite of her chocolate treat, watching them from the corner of her eyes.

“And now you stand here with the pride of the Butterflies treating us like we’re not a threat—"

“You’re not.”

He glowered.

“If you think I should be afraid of you because Septarians killed my mother or something, well, I think that’s a novel idea. My mother died by ambush and while I’m not one to put weight to the foolishness that is honor in battle, an ambush is cowardly. Of her and them. And she certainly did her best to kill plenty of your kind and she did not die sorry about it.”

“Is that supposed to scare us?”

“For what it’s worth, I am sorry for it. I don’t like unnecessary violence.”

Fed up with her, he rushed her and she disarmed him, using a bit of magic to push him across the room as gently as she could in case he had a dagger she hadn’t seen or poison. Luckily, his friend was still very hesitant to attack her and she took the opportunity to bind them while she could.

“How did you two get into the castle? Paranoia is the enemy of a leader, so I am hesitant to suggest a spy, not to mention the simple fact that there is no Mewman with any sympathy or interest in helping monsters, well, aside for one.”

“How do you think? You’re the one with a myriad of secret passageways and underground tunnels.”

“I mean, tunnels are often underground.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I don’t think you need to specify underground.”

“Well, there are above ground tunnels.”

“Yes, but none in the castle.”

“Untie us!”

“No, you came to kill me. I’m nice, I’m not stupid.”

“Oh no, you’re going to chop us up and scatter our limbs,” cried Rasticore. “I told you this was a bad idea.”

“I’m not going to do that either. I’m sending you to the dungeon.”

“Not very queenly of you,” jeered Toffee.

“Neither was warmongering, but this generation loves to subvert what is and isn’t a queen’s job.” She twirled her wand, casting a silent transportation spell. “Guards!”

Two of the closest ones came running in. “Yes, Your Majesty!”

“I have sent two prisoners to the dungeons; see to it that they are watched closely and treat them kindly. Let me know if there’s any trouble.”

“Y-yes Your Majesty.”

“Alright, I can make my way to the throne room on my own, thank you.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” They bowed and left to complete their task.

By nightfall she had been given two-dozen complaints about the unruly prisoners. They looked at the guards funny, they refused to eat, they loudly whispered plans to escape and so on and so forth. She wasn’t sure what she was going to use them for yet, but they weren’t going to get out anytime soon. Glossaryck had gone to taunt them, he told her as much.

She practiced her dipping down. Would that she had gone through Mewberty. Never even got her wings.

[1] We were never given a clear timeframe for how long they were together or how old Eclipsa was in Solaria’s chapter when she first saw her with Globgor.

[2] For those of you worrying about Jushtin, he was never coronated, remember? So, he doesn’t count as a queen.


	6. As the Days Go By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eclipsa remembers why she hated being queen in the first place. Uncle Jushtin makes his visit and something is stirring in the Septarian ranks.

Her baby bump was growing ever more visible by the day it seemed and she was getting anxious. She kept a closer eye on Festivia’s mother and their shared journey now more than ever. She was half tempted to invite the woman to the palace if she didn’t still have her reserves about the Pie Folk. Regardless, she had very little free time these days, what with the angry letters from her allies about the Armistice. She had said if they were so damned determined to keep the war that killed her mother and countless Mewmans going then they could fight it themselves but if they really cared about how much their people had suffered then they would come meet her like the civilized nobles they were. She had quickly realized that what Globgor meant by the Avariuses being easy to win over was that their loyalty was in money. She had sent Lola Avarius a letter by pigeon asking for her support in efforts for peace, mentioning the refurbishment of her family’s castle with a generous chest of jewels and one of her own sons had flown under the cover of night to bring the eager reply of agreement.

And then her meetings with the Commission were torn between continuing the war mongering while the monster forces were resting and easing into a false sense of security and figuring our how they were going to house the misplaced Mewmans until she finally agreed that they could chop the forest down hiring the number of unemployed peasant workers who had already been misplaced by the war to do so. She was still keeping the media focused on the Royal Baby to Be and Shastacan’s absence rather than the ceasefire in mostly fruitful attempts at keeping an angry mob from the castle gates. Though the castle got plenty of angry letters from the blacksmiths making a fortune selling weapons and armor to farmers and the other peasants. She remembered why she avoided these meetings in the first place. It was so much little things that needed time and careful attention before they could even begin to solve the big things and boy, did she need a Snookers.

“Why are you down here?”

The dungeons were warmed by a fire when she was there. “Taking a break. Want a Snookers?” She’d bought the vending machine’s entire supply.

“I may be able to regenerate but I do not enjoy the feeling of rotting teeth.”

“I’ll take one, since you’re offering, Your Majesty,” said Rasticore.

Magically moving the shackles to his legs, she tossed him one. He ate with ravished delight.

“You’re an embarassment.”

“I’ll take embarrassment over starving.”

“Why are you refusing food, anyhow?”

“_You_ don’t know what they bring us when you aren’t visiting.”

“Oh, so they’re just disobeying orders, okay. I thought you were protesting. Wouldn’t be the first.”

“The terrors of your life just slide off your back don’t they.”

“Like water.” She unwrapped another Snookers, summoning bread, fruit, and water from the kitchens.

Toffee huffed; arms crossed as best he could in those shackles. “What, no meat?”

“Sorry, I’m a pescatarian.”

“Aren’t you allied with the merfolk?”

“Yeah. They eat fish too; they base it off of sentience. Don’t think about it too much.” Absently she placed a hand on her stomach as Meteora kicked. “It has been a few weeks since you two have been here. I was expecting a letter or an envoy. Didn’t you tell anyone you were doing this?”

“They think we’re dead. Monsters don’t usually return from Butterfly Castle with their lives.”

“Fair enough. So, what’s it like among the Septarians? Everyone feel the same about the war, are their dissenters? Folks who just want this whole thing to end no matter what?”

“If there are, they no better than to say it.”

“A lot of us follow Seth of Septarsis. _Not_ the Prince of Darkness. I mean, he’s pretty cool, but he has also advocated for peace and treaty before.”

“I’m aware.”

“Seems like he should be the person you’d convince first.”

Her smile was wicked, “What makes you think I haven’t.”

A shiver ran up Toffee’s spine. He grabbed an apple as an excuse to break eye contact.

“Gylfred.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“See to it that these two are fed properly from now on.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

After touring through the tent cities past the cornfields she had found three dozen citizens to clear the Forest of Probable Itchiness. Twenty of which were lumberjacks and ten of which were builders. They were only going to clear a third of it, to avoid the misplacement of all the animals living there, with protection from two Solarian warriors because they would not go otherwise. Then she had to go meet with the barbarous Johansens for dinner. She agreed to foster their second son, Thaddeus. She didn’t really need a squire but it definitely helped keep their allyship.

Adelaide Plum had yet to give birth.

“Oh, my sun and stars, Eclipsa,” cried Jushtin, arms open wide as he entered the throne room with Duchess Recluza.

“Duchess and Duke Spider Bite, how lovely it is to see you,” she said, rising to give them a curtsey.

Jushtin scowled. “What happened to my dearest uncle. I come all this way and I don’t even get a hug.” He gasped, “And look at that belly. I’m going to have another little girl to raise. But of _course_, we’re staying until she’s at least ten, you’ll be so busy you know.”

Giggling, she accepted his hug, wrapping her arms around him from the side. She hadn’t really gotten the hang of hugging like this. “I’ve missed you.”

“The days have been longer since, well,” he smiled at Recluza, voice growing impossibly fonder, “not too long.”

She flushed, waving bashfully.

“You two are so sweet. I’m so glad you’re here. But I was also hoping for royal help.”

“Understandably. I plan to bust out the old Butterfly charm, I’ve already convinced the Spider Bites to come and have dinner with you in a fortnight. We’ll go over what you should say, putting emphasis on the ‘I want my baby to grow up in safer times’ bit. Sorry we didn’t come sooner. Visiting the Whizzbags. Garbage Beach is still a dump but they seem to like it,” he shrugged. “We’ll tell you all about the trip. Queen Winona is so excited to see you again, you remember her, right? I think you were two the last time she was here.”

“Dear, she still has one more citizen to see before she can end court,” said Recluza soft, yet stern, tightening her shawl around her head.

“Right, right. We’ll talk after. I’m so happy for you.”

“Good day, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you for coming, Auntie.”

“Did Uncle ever dip down?”

“No. He’s a dud.”

“Rude.”

“He had strengths in other areas, just not magic.”

“Hm.”

Dipping down is harder than I ever thought it would be, but I’m making progress, I can feel it.

My Sweet Prince,

In a fortnight I am having dinner with the Spider Bites and Hosting them for a week. I need you send your most trusted Slime general by the end of the week to talk negotiations. I’m going to ease each family into the idea by playing to similarities and assets. I know for a fact Slimes can heal up to any skin ailment and that should soften the Spider Bites to them, at least enough to get to know your general or whomever you send. They’re very posh, so it has to be someone with high rank.

Also, my Uncle Jushtin has returned, promising me the support of the Musty Mountain Caves and the Dock of Unending Torment, having been close friends with their current rulers during his younger years. I will try and contact the Lucitors. Apparently, the Jaggs are meeting with the Avariuses and other monsters in the surrounding area. I haven’t heard much about it though.

I miss you.

With Love,

Your Darkest Star.

She wrote the letter in Low Mewman, ever careful, and sent it off in one of their many secret ways.

My Darkest Star,

I send this under the cover of night with, as you requested, my most trusted Slime. Admittedly, he is a general out of a form of nepotism. His father took an arrow for mine in the war, so now he’s a general.[1] What are you going to do, right? It does make him the easiest to get along with, especially since they are so nice. I wish you the best of luck.

Also, why didn’t you tell me about the assassination attempt?

Your Sweet Prince

My Sweet Prince,

I didn’t tell you about the assassination attempt because it didn’t matter. They are just two kids…sort of. They won’t tell me how old they are but I think they’re only a few years younger than us. Five or six give or take. If you must know, their names are Toffee and Rasticore of Septarsis.

The dinner with the Spider Bites went well. My squire instigated a food fight with their son at the kids table. They are adorable together. The second royal dinner with General Slime also ended in a food fight, though not on the kids’ table. They are at least _talking_ by the time I am writing this letter; the Spider Bites certainly love having their bites healed. King Sheridan is wondering when his brother will return from his trip and if I’ve heard from him. I was just beginning to forget his existence too. I’m sure things will turn out fine though. I’ll make it fine.

With Great Love,

Your Darkest Star

My Darkest Star,

Very well, I trust you. There is a problem however. My people, even the surprising number of supporters for our cause, are growing restless again. The Solarian Warriors look to be planning something. Though, I cannot shake the feeling that the septarians under Seth, among his other followers, are continuing their efforts to sabotage us. I do not think an overthrow of Seth will help, but my hand may be forced.

How long until the birth?

Forever Yours,

Your Sweet Prince

My Beloved,

Not long. Not long at all. Because of this the Spider Bites refuse to leave. I have sent Glossaryck to find the decoy babe, but I think we may just have to come out sooner rather than later and I just know how the other royals will spin this. I truly fear that I am beginning to worry what others will think of me. Uncle knows, I made the mistake of thinking he couldn’t read Low Mewman, and that he didn’t have a spare key to the Book of Spells.

I beg you not to risk your life, what little my begging does. It’s almost time and we’re doing all this so our family can stay together. I love you. Stay safe.

Sincerely,

Your Darkest Star

She sat up in her room, looking through the All-Seeing Eye. She checked on Adelaide Plum, trying to figure out how she lost her daughter in the first place because it hadn’t been written yet and wouldn’t be unless Festivia was adopted by her. She checked on Shastacan. Brave or foolish, she couldn’t tell by this point, who, rather than giving her the satisfaction of dying or being lost forever, was marrying into a far-off principality of a different dimension. At least he had found love, the retch. And would be out of her hair forever. Perhaps she wouldn’t need the decoy baby after all, though maybe she’d still invite Ms. Plum to the palace, unlearn all those stereotypes about Pie Folk? Checking on Globgor even though she knew he hated when she spied on him but he hadn’t written back and she was worried and if she had to break her vow to kill Seth she would. She had regular check-ins with Mina and the Solarian Warriors, because she would be damned if all her had work and suffering went up in smoke now because of provocation from her mother’s legacy.

Jushtin told her all this stress was bad for the baby. That stress made Butterflies do terrible things because believe it or not he had read his mother’s chapter. To appease him, she listened to stories about his and Solaria’s youth even though she had heard them before, until her eyes drooped. He had instructed no one to bother her unless it was absolutely necessary and even then, they would have to ask her first.

A stirring in the night woke her. Two shadows. Instinctively she reached for her wand until she remembered that Jushtin had it. Cold steel cut her and light filled the room. They wanted her to see the faces of her end.

“We are Amaryllis and Anise,” said one.

“Ssseeking revenge for two which you took from us,” hissed the other.

She wrapped silk sheets around her wound, it wasn’t too deep. She hoped it wasn’t poisoned, the various venoms of the various venomous septarians had no antidotes known to Mewmans and what if her little Meteora died with her? The thought set her cheeks aglow, lightning marks burning with fear and worry and rage. Yet, she composed herself. Remembering why she was doing this.

“If you are talking about Toffee and Rasticore, they are in the dungeons. I am not my mother but regicide, even attempted, is a very serious crime.” She went through every healing spell she had memorized from the Old Book, looking for one that would best counteract poison.

“Lies. If they lived, they would have escaped by now,” said the ginger.

“Believe what you want to believe, I don’t care. Just get out of my room. Guards! Gylfred!”

“Oh no you don’t,” spat the other one, raising her sword. Her cheeks were still aglow, her arms still hot and she reached up to stop the blade, glowing as the marks creeped up ever further. For a moment she was blinded. For a moment they were flung back and then the guards and Thaddeus were in the room, surrounding them. Asking if she was okay, asking what to do with them, asking if she was poisoned, asking what they did to her. And the room was too loud and for a moment everything was light.

She was breathing heavily in a dark…place, no sound around her, though she didn’t feel alone. Of course, she wasn’t alone, not with her current condition, but that was not it.

“Oh corn! Have I died?”

“No, no,” said Glossaryck, appearing. “Everything is going to be okay. I’m really not sure what this is, you made it. Really leaning into your naming magic lately, aren’t you?”

“I made this? But this isn’t the inferno.”

“Then it’s something different. Congratulations, by the way, you dipped down. I knew you could do it. However, you have been in here for a few days and we’re all pretty worried.”

“A few days!”

“A week. I’m a little ashamed to say it too, took me longer than I had hoped to get through.”

She looked around frantically, gripping her hair, tears pooling in her eyes. “I-I—_what_?”

“It’s alright, just let it out. Remember, even queens cry sometimes.”

She would have snapped if the sobbing hadn’t started. She didn’t realize she was so overwhelmed. Funny, this is exactly the experience Jushtin was trying to avoid. Hugging herself, green hair hiding her glowing spades, she let the tension fade from her body as the ocean rolled from her cheeks hot and angry and fearful and tired. For Stump’s sake she was tired. _Why couldn’t I just let myself be a queen that didn’t care and did nothing? Or just run away with Globgor like we had planned? Leave Mewni to suffer its fate? But then…_ she looked at her hands, dark with her deeds, touched the spades on her cheeks. _Then it still wouldn’t be the world I want for Meteora. Globgor and I have to do this and I don’t care what anyone thinks, we’ll do this together._

[1] This is an Unraveled reference


	7. Apatura Iris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eclipsa Dips Down. Globgor is dying. And Jushtin wonders if it is his fate to outlive his loved ones. All this and Meteora isn't even born yet.

They were in the Situation Room, Mina banging on the table, roaring with laughter.

“We’ve been trying to destroy them for years but now they’re fighting each other! That’s the best thing we could have hoped for. We let them pick each other off and dispose of the victor. Perfect.”

“Not perfect General, not perfect at all,” said Jushtin. “The Prince of Darkness needs to be _alive_ for the peace treaty to go through.”

She shrugged, “But if they’re all dead then Mewmans will finally be able to live in peace. I really don’t get why that’s a problem.”

Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “It is very important to Eclipsa to right the wrongs of the past which means allowing _both_ Monsters and Mewmans to live in peace.”  
“Fine, fine, we’ll put the survivors in a compound and throw them corn.”

“No!”

“So, we can kill them?”

“No!”

“Ugh, princes, so high maintenance. Mina, that’s a war crime, Mina, that’s not how you talk to royalty, Mina, that’s not a monster, that’s an ally. Make up your minds.”

Recluza cleared her throat, “Moving on. The Pony Heads have said that they will be happy to aid us once again should the infighting lead to the continuation of the war. They still hold their doubts about the Armistice but are willing to sign only if the Prince of Darkness is truly for peace.”

“And the Lucitors?”

“We tried to visit them in person to get a response, but it appears they are terrified of the Prince of Darkness,” said King Sheridan.

“Understandably so, considering his actions during the war and his family’s history,” said Queen Lilian. The Spider Bite’s were still sticking around, it wasn’t safe to leave and they had to make up for the whole, their brother abandoning the Queen of Mewni thing which Jushtin informed them of in no uncertain terms.

“Wow, I expected more from the Lucitors. Okay, the Kelpbottoms?”

“They sent us a dead fish, so much for unity,” said Winona Whizzbag of Garbage Beach.

“But, the Jaggs are all for her Majesty’s idea, they are in the process of sending an envoy while they deal with minor land disputes with the Avariuses about where to put the displaced monsters. They might actually be sending their youngest daughters too,” added Prince Sazmo of the Dock of Unending Torment.

“Delightful. It was always a pity Clips’ didn’t have much of her own court growing up. Speaking of, where is that squire?” He pushed out of his seat. “Oh, meeting adjourned.”

The Duke and Duchess made their way to the Rose Tower, holding hands.

“I believe the Magical High Commission are with are,” said Recluza.

He scoffed, “I mean, don’t get me wrong, Hekapoo and I have always been good friends. She’s like a cool aunt, but knowing what she would have done if things had turned out differently—” he growled, the alligator agate on the head of his cane growling with him.

“I know, Dear. But we won’t let that happen, will we?”

“No, we won’t.”

Globgor had been fighting Seth for days, the Septarians never grew tired and he knew that. But his rage had overcome him. Seth had learned his secret. Had sent assassins after Eclipsa and their child. Oh, his Darkest Star, forgive him, he would not let the lizard man live to taunt him further.

“What’s the matter, Your Grace, getting tired?” said Seth, sending him flying into the wall of the hastily dug battle pit. “Of course, that’s what I’d expect from an idealistic boy.” He marched over and slammed his foot down onto Globgor’s stomach. “You really think after all these years the Mewmans will just accept us? That they’ll give us back our land, our homes? After the _centuries_ of _slaughter_? Pathetic. It’s just another trap.”

Grunting, he lifted the lizard’s foot off of him, pushing him away. “It’s worth a shot. Even you’ve changed old man. As my grandfather told it, you were once an idealistic fool as well.” Forever one for hand-to-hand, Globgor hook punched him, stepping back in time to dodge a fatal swipe. Seth had metal claws laced with poison.

He spit in disgust, “Your grandfather was a better king than you’ll ever be. The monsters need someone to lead them to victory.” He emphasized his last word by grabbing him and pulling him down into a knee-kick that Globgor broke free of by growing in size and returning the favor.

“And they deserve a king thinking of tomorrow, something I’d expect from an immortal.”

Seth stumbled back, spitting blood and teeth to the side. He screeched, running at him, kicked him into the wall, pinning him there. Swiping and punching in turn at every area of exposed skin which, by know was many. They had been fighting for days and Globgor often went into battle wearing nothing but undergarments.

Globgor often wondered what stake Septarians had in the war. They were practically immortal until Solaria came along, and even then; their split pieces still searched for each other. Perhaps it was pity for their fellow monsters turned hatred after years of torment. Oh, how it could twist any heart, it had no doubt crushed Seth’s as he beat on the young prince.

His mind swayed and the world spun as the night sky became a sliver in his vision. The poison seeping into his veins overwhelmed him. “Eclipsa,” he whispered.

Cracks ran down her bubble of darkness like lightning strikes, one of the few things she had in common with her mother.

Two weeks had gone by and Eclipsa, Queen of Mewni emerged from her cocoon.

The Rose Tower flooded with purple light and no one could see where the queen had gone; her speed too fast for the eyes to see.

“At a girl,” said Glossaryck before promptly teleporting to her destination.

She left a lightning scar in her wake. Her wings a fusion between the purple emperor and the common rose swallowtail, spades where her mother had diamonds, her green hair in ringlets of roses, and fuzzy purple antenna sticking up from them. Her dress coiled around her like tendrils ending in tentacles and if you had asked Glossaryck he’d tell you it was the one on the cover of her chapter in the Book of Spells, right down the eye brooch at her collar. Though this one blinked. And this form wore no gloves.

It was this form, in all its terrifying beauty that descended on the hastily dug fighting pit where Seth made to climb out, this form that wrapped him in ribbon the color of eggplant and heather, where black butterflies emerged, burning into his skin the more he struggled. She didn’t want him dead, not yet anyways. Not unless she couldn’t save Globgor.

The monsters watched in frozen fear as she descended before the dying prince, pressing a dark hand to his cheek. “By magic’s kiss, turn back time, release the poison from this love of mine,” she said, kissing his forehead. It was one of her grandmother’s spells that Solaria had taught her. Supposedly she had used it to save Alphonse once. She hovered before him, listening for his breathing to lose its labored quality and return to normal. Frowning, she repeated the spell, kissing him on his lips this time. She listened as his heart slowed down at an alarming rate and panicked, recited every healing spell she had memorized, pleading with him to open his eyes while Seth died slowly behind them, the black butterflies eating away at his scales, through his skin and bones. When he tried to regenerate it would rot and crumble.

“Hm…I must admit, I did not see this,” said Glossaryck. “Perhaps another method.”

Glowing eyes stared blankly at him until she had heard what he had said. With six arms she lifted Globgor and flew off while Seth screamed for help, for a knife, anything to cut himself free. The ribbons wrapped around his snout and the monster army thought they had finally lost.

She set him down on the riverbank as gently as she could before beckoning the magic sanctuary from the waters. Carrying her beloved in, their baby kicked inside her. She dropped him in the water and waited, transformation still holding strong.

“You know, you could probably get rid of your dark marks here too. Though pure magic works as well, there are some annoying consequences if it doesn’t dissolve properly though.”

She looked at him for a moment, expression unchanging from the blank look of the magical high and then looked back at the water.

“Alright.”

They waited.

And waited.

And waited.

“Staying in that form for this long is dangerous you know. Remember Soupina?”

She did not turn away.

He huffed. “Maybe there’s something wrong with the well. I’ll go check it out.”

Not even a nod.

Glossaryck dropped through the porthole in the well’s cover. The magic was still golden and pure. He dove into the water. The lotus was closed tightly around Globgor, layering itself in dozens of pink petals. He knew it could bring people back from the dead. _That’s what it was designed for but oh—it was not designed to heal all wounds, just magical wounds and magical creatures. But he’s a size shifter, which is a type of magic. Monster magic just can’t be expelled in the same way as Mewman magic. Maybe it’ll just take longer._

“Eclipsa, sweetheart,” he said, rising from the water and wringing himself out. “I do think this will take a while. Why don’t we just go back to the castle and rest, prepare for the birth? You’re getting really close to your due date.”

She watched the water.

“Eclipsa?”

There was a singing in her ears, in her mind, yet she could not listen for she had to keep her vigil.

“Clips?”

It sung such sweet songs. Such lovely promises.

“Gumdrop?”

It said she could save him but she knew that already. It wanted her to enter the well. But she feared she would poison it.

He sat beside her. “Okay, we’ll just keep waiting here then—watching.”

His problems came in spades, yet Mewni held her breath. He had visited the magical sanctuary, once word came that it was up of course. In Solaria’s day it had been up plenty and surely it gave many, Monster and Mewman alike, flashbacks. His niece, like a daughter to him, watched the water, unaware of the world around her. He feared her lost.

Still, he had sent Thaddeus and the midwife and the physician to wait with her in case it was time when she broke free from her trance. His pride and joy were eclipsed by fear, a deep, horrible fear of loss, of being the last one of his family—did he have to watch them all die? Was that really his fate? No, no it couldn’t be. So why did Glossaryck have him collect one Adelaide Plum to what—cauterize his grief? He did it, of course, Eclipsa had had plans too but…he wished things had been different.


End file.
